Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz scratched from start, may head to disabled list

Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz has been experiencing pain in his trapezius muscle since his last start on June 8. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz has been scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday with a neck injury and may land on the disabled list, manager John Farrell said on Saturday.

Buchholz, who sits atop the American League with a 9-0 record and 1.71 ERA, left his last start on June 8 early with "neck tightness." He was supposed to throw a bullpen session on Sunday, but was not healthy enough to do so.

The 28-year-old right-hander missed a start in late May with a collarbone injury -- the discomfort has shifted from his AC joint to his trapezius muscle.

From MassLive.com's Evan Drellich:

“Clay threw today, he feels a little bit better than he did yesterday but not to the point where he’s going to throw a bullpen tomorrow," Sox manager John Farrell said. "So what we do have is benefit with the off day where we can keep guys turn with felix going Tuesday, (Ryan) Dempster Wednesday and staying on turn from there. But right now we haven’t announced the other starter for Tuesday." “Yeah, we are (considering a trip to the DL) and Clay’s well aware of that and we had a chance to talk about where our threshold might be to make a decision," Farrell said. "Still, bottom line being we’re not going to put him out there until we go through the normal build-up and make sure he’s in a safe place physically.’’

...

“Well, he’s not to the point physically where he feels he can get on the mound tomorrow without the potential of a setback or irritating the trap muscle that he’s feeling it in," Farrell said. "The AC joint, that part of what he was experiencing before, that’s cleared up, there’s nothing there. It’s more in the trap muscle up near the neck and it’s restricted him from greater intensity.’’

Buchholz last pitched a week ago Saturday, on June 8, and players can be placed on the disabled list retroactively by 10 days.